LPM Tip

Putting your goals in writing for 2012

It is hard to overestimate the importance of putting your
business goals in writing. Running a business without setting goals
is like taking a trip without a map. You may get somewhere; but
your destination is highly uncertain. With written goals, your
business and your career have more direction and you are more
likely to make progress on both. Many sales professionals
understand this. In sales, the highest performers are the ones that
put their goals in writing.

According to John W. Olmstead Jr. of Olmstead & Associates in
St. Louis, the goals that you set should be S.M.A.R.T. * (specific,
measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely). For example,
instead of setting the goal "I plan to grow my law practice
in the coming years," set a goal that you want to increase your
revenues by 30 percent in the next 12 months and in order to do
this you will execute a marketing plan including: X number of
lunches per month, X number of articles published per quarter, X
number of speaking engagements per year and active involvement in a
leadership role in a specific trade association.

For more information on goal setting and the importance of putting
your goals in writing, tune in to a recent MBA On Demand seminar
called Business Planning for Lawyers. The
session is available for FREE to Massachusetts Bar Association
members, and for a nominal fee for nonmembers. Registrants can also
access a number of planning resources by contacting Stephen Seckler.

Good luck setting goals for 2012 and best wishes for a happy and
healthy New Year filled with lots of new client matters.